Tree climbing

Tree climbing is a recreational or functional activity consisting of ascending and moving around in the crown of trees.

A rope, helmet, and harness can be used to ensure the safety of the climber. Other equipment can also be used depending on the experience and skill of the tree climber. Some tree climbers take special hammocks called "Treeboats" and Portaledges with them into the tree canopies where they can enjoy a picnic or nap, or spend the night.

Some tree-climbers employ a mixture of techniques and gear derived from rock climbing and caving. These techniques are also used to climb trees for other purposes: tree care (arborists), animal rescue, research, and activism.

Children commonly climb trees for play without the use of equipment.

Professional arborists have been climbing trees since the late 19th century in the UK and North America.

Tree climbing as an organized recreational activity using modern climbing equipment emerged in the early 1980s in USA. In 1983, Peter "Treeman" Jenkins, an active arborist and retired rock climber, founded Tree Climbers International, Inc. TCI eventually developed written safety and training rules for tree climbing which are used to this day. Now there are numerous organizations promoting tree climbing around the world (Japan, USA, France, UK, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, China etc.).

In 2007, a meeting of experienced tree climbing facilitators and instructors, including Peter Jenkins, and organized by Harv Teitelbaum of Tree Climbing Colorado and Abe Winters of Tree Climbing USA, took place in Colorado, USA to discuss the formation of the first democratic umbrella organization dedicated to serving the recreational, adventure, experiential and educational tree climbing communities. From those initial meetings, GOTC (Global Organization of Tree Climbers) was formed and incorporated as a charitable, nonprofit organization. Today, GOTC provides training curricula and safe climb guidelines in use worldwide and adopted by experiential organizations including the AEE (Association for Experiential Education).

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Wikipedia